Exploring perception, traditional knowledge uses, and status of gum arabic production from A. Senegal tree is crucial to present the existing situation and prospects in rural households of Amibara and Liben district of Ethiopia. Data was collected using key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and household surveys. The household survey data were collected from 441 randomly selected households. Descriptive statistics like mean, frequency, and percentage were used to present the study results. The findings illustrate that the respondents' perception of gum arabic uses is slight since 90.7% of the sampled households responded to the reasons for not engaging in gum collection is I did not know the benefit before. About 58.3% of the sampled households are not engaged in gum collection. The sampled households indicated that 94.8% of them use natural oozing collection method than tapping for the production of gum arabic. The sampled households responded that the relative abundance of gum and resin trees in the study area and productivity (quantity harvested per unit area) change status are notably decreasing (55.6%) and notable decreasing (56.9%) respectively. Traditional knowledge and uses of gum arabic in Amibara and Liben districts of rural households range from medicinal values and uses to cosmetics and other uses. The results of the study also indicate that about 75.5% of the sampled households responded that there is no market availability of gum arabic in the area and the reasons for facing market problems were lack of buyers, transportation, and lower quality product, high competition from my competent ranked respectively. On the other hand, 89.3% of the sampled households have no credit access. Therefore, the promotion and commercialization of gum arabic in Amibara and Liben districts of Ethiopia both for the economic benefit of the community and sustainable management of the fragile ecosystem is recommended with applicable policy articulation, research and development interventions; to make Ethiopia penetrate the international market of gum arabic and to improve its market share too.

Keywords : Acacia Senegal, Gum Arabic, Perception, Production, Marketing